Process for the electrolytic refining of metals.



No. 842,254. v PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907.

A. .SGHWARZ. j PROCESS FOR? THE ELECTROLYTIC REFINING 0F METALS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. 1904.

WITNESSES: flag. By M K M mufiw v Arm/my mun/10R UNITED TE .E T ornion.

" ALFRED scnwARaHor NEW YORK, N. r.

PRooEss FOR THE ELECTROLYTEQ 'REFINING'QF ME'TAILS.

Application filed ebruary a, 1904. Serial it). 192,444.

To all whoni, it new concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SoHwA-Rz, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a I resident of the borough of Manhattan, city,

county, and State of New York, have invented certain new andflusefiilimprovements in meto eal directly with the ores in the form of concentrates, the object being to simplify lpresent methods in the manner more fully ereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face View of an anode base; Fig. 2, a similar view of the base filled with concentrates; and

Figs. 3 and 4;, respectively, are transverse sectional views on the lines 3 3 and 4 4 of Fi s. 1 and 2.

imilar reference-numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

The ore to be refined is first-crushed to a convenient size for handling and then concentrated in any Well-known or. suitable manner to separate the values from the gangue, which is essentially silicious' The concentrates without further treatment are collected and compressed by any suitable means into solid masses or cakes of a form and size that will adapt them to be used as anodes in an electrolytic refining-tank. For this pur ose an adhesive may be employed, if desire to make a compactmass and to retain the mass in proper shape and condition for handling.

Owing to the nature of the concentrates and of the liability of the.compressed masses to disintegrate, I support such masses in a suitable-framework of an insoluble conductive material somewhat after the manner of the lates for secondary :batteries. For ex conductor in contact with. the concentrates .to properly deliver the electric current.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an. 29, 1907.

suitable form of anode is shown in the-drawings, in which the numeral 1 designates a frame of an insoluble conductive material.

This frame is divided by transverse and 1ongitudinal pieces 2 and 3 into sections or compartments 4, into which the concentrates are compressed in the form of cakes or masses 5, or the entire framework may be made ofa conductiveinsoluble material having upon 5 its surface a number of pieces projecting into the compressed mass of concentrates toretain such mass in position. Other expe clients will .readily suggest them selves by which the concentrates may be properly supported during the electrolytic action, and I only mention the above as simple and inexpensive means for the purpose.

In applying my process to the refining of copper oresI employa solution of copper sulfate icontaining a small percentage of free sulfuric acid, and any suitable cathode,.preferably of copper, and any economical means for generating electricity. With such a solu- I tion the copper contained in the anode will be dissolved and deposited on the cathode, ac-.

' cording to well-known principles. The electrolytic action is so controlled that any silver which may be contained in the concentrates is not deposited and may be recovered from the solution by any well-known precipitation method or otherwise. Any gold that may be present in the anodes falls to the bottom of the tank in the form of slime and may be recovered by known methods.

An advantage of importance attaching to the invention above described is that the expense of smelting the ore into mattes is obviated and a simple method provided for the direct handling of the concentrates. specific example I ma take a chalcopyrite ore-and concentrate t e same by any wellknown method. The concentrates after collection are compressed into aframe, as above described, and suspended in an electrolytic tank containing sulfuric acid or a cop er sulfate solution having an excess of aci The copper contained in .the concentrates will pass into solution and be deposited on a suitable cathode under a current density of three to five amperes per square foot and a proximately one to one and one-half volts.

he iron contained in the concentrates will go into solution in the form of a sulfate, and after all the cop er has been dissolved and deposited the so utionmay be treated for the separation and recovery of the .iron i'n Asa.

the form of an oxid and the siilfuric acid. The an0de-frame may then be used to receive "a fresh charge of concentrates. The slimes collected in the bottom of the tank may be treated for thevrecovery of any gold, silver,

in a framework of an insoluble conductive materiaLvand then subjecting said anodes to the action of bath.

signed my name in' the presence of two subscrlhlng witnesses.

ALFRED \SOHWARZ.

Witnesses:

H. PATTON, CHARLEs S. JoNEs.

a current in an electrolytic I5 In testimony whereof I, have hereunto 

